THE Gospel scene this morning depicts an angry Jesus with a whip in his hand.This image of Jesus doesn’t sit well with our romanticised image of gentle Jesus, meek and mild.It seems so out of character with what we know of Jesusfrom the rest of the Gospels.Jesus at the Temple

12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

13 And said unto them, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." ’Matthew 21:12-13

The beauty of this passage is it shows us another sideof Jesus character,one that could not only be kind, loving gentleand compassionate,but very strong and very assertive when the need arose.

Still, it comes as a bit of a shock to see Jesus not only angrybut furiousand see him resort to what looks likea shocking act of violence.

I think that why it is so shocking to usis that we have all grown up thinking that anger is wrong,that it is sinful,but anger is just a feelingand as such is neither good nor bad morally.

The problems can begin in how we react to our anger.Anger can be very dangerous when it resultsin us saying and doing things that cause harm to others, physically or emotionally,and we can often be left regretting something we have done hastily when angry.

But anger can be a good thing.It can spur us to put something right that is blatantly wrong, to fight against injustice,to resist violence, stand against oppression,and to stand in solidarity with the marginalised.

There are times when we ought to be angry,but I think there are a lot of times we get angrywhen we shouldn’t.

It is important for us to look at what makes us angry.It is said that you can measure a person’s soulby the size of the things that make them angry.Do you get angry over petty things,over issues of self-interest?

It is amazing how worked up people getwhen their own interests are threatened,however marginally, but how few get worked upwhen it’s their neighbour’s interests that are threatened.

Jesus didn’t get angry on his own account.His anger resulted from his love of God and of his neighbour.His action in the temple has been seen by manyas a protest against the commercialism of religionand the desecration of the temple.But it went much deeper than that.

Firstly he was protesting that Israel had failedto fulfill her universal mission to humanity.Religion had become narrow, nationalistic, and exclusive.

Secondly he was attacking the very nature of Jewish worship.Its ritual and animal sacrifices were becomingirrelevant and was doing nothing to bring people to God.

Worship demands a lot more of usthan the offering of things to Godand the performance of certain rituals.What God wants above all is the worship of our lives.

What we do here is important.Our worship of God should be heartfelt and sincere,bring us joy and promote unity.

It should encourage us to stand in solidarity with the poor and needy challenge violence, injustice and oppression, and work for peace and reconciliation.

It should always be inclusive.We are not a club, but a group of loving individuals with a mission to all people, even the difficult ones.

And what we do here should give us the impetus to examine our lives,to repent of those areas of our livesthat are not consistent with the ways of God,and to continue our worship of God in our liveswhen we walk out those doors.

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About the author

Rev. Jenny is an ordained Priest of the Anglican Diocese delivering services at Anglican Parish of the Otway churches every week.

With great depth of knowledge and a spiritual practice that shows she walks her talk and has taken her to the far reaches of N.T. Australia working with indigenous youth and elders.

Rev. Jenny embraces diversity of Christian viewpoints. Her enthusiasm for children learning about their connection to God is infectious. The church services are people-centred and friendly. For more information ﻿﻿﻿﻿Click Here!﻿﻿﻿﻿